Having completed my third and final day at my son's primary school, I feel I can now reflect on my experience. My intention on starting the degree course has always been to qualify as a Primary school teacher (an ambition of mine which started at the tender age of 5!), so after my first day at school I was unprepared for my feelings of "I don't think I want to do this". The day started well, fully immersing myself in a role with Reception, however, the afternoon session with Year 1 took a different turn. Being given what seemed like a simple task of helping pupils completing storyboards and writing a few sentences about their stories, turned into an experience which left me feeling overwhelmed and out of my depth. I was given three of the lower ability boys (who were "distracted very easily") and having had no previous classroom experience or training, I found myself on my own, outside of the classroom, with no teacher support. Needless to say, the boys ran circles round me! Did I really want to go back for day 2?
Undeterred, I returned and spent the day with Reception. Reception was fast moving and lively, with children moving between classroom, outside and role-play areas, all the while being assessed. The daily, weekly, termly and annual planning was vast, although I was under no illusion as to the extent of planning having had both parents in the profession for over 30 years. The children were clearly enjoying themselves and had a wonderful relationship with their teacher and TA.
Day 3 was spent with Year 2 and immediately sensed a more structured format to their day. I worked with children on numeracy and reading and thoroughly enjoyed the 'marching soldier' teaching their times table. As I left on my last day, I felt as though I had come full circle knowing that this was still the career that I wanted to pursue and although the Curriculum can be restricting and target orientated, there is still huge reward in seeing children learning, achieving and enjoying.
